Margaret Bertha Nieman

Margaret Bertha Nieman, 96, passed away at Aspen Grove assisted living on November 23, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, all services and burial at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, Petersburg, MI are private. She was born in Ida, Michigan to George and Caroline (Friedenberger) Silwester on August 22, 1924. She grew up on their farm in Ida and attended Harwick school, a little one-room schoolhouse down the road. She met the love of her life, Russell Nieman on the Detroit Eastern Market when he came home from serving in WWII and they were married the next year in 1947 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. They both shared the determination and perseverance which were evident in the Greatest Generation. The whole family worked very hard farming together and taking tomatoes and watermelons to the Detroit Market. Through the years many neighborhood kids worked picking vegetables for them on the farm. In 1994 she had ovarian cancer and had surgery and chemo while picking over 2,000 pints of raspberries that fall.

Russ died in 1976 and left Margaret sad and lonely but it didn’t stop her indomitable spirit. She started polka dancing and made a whole new set of friends which led to many happy times and travels for her. Margaret continued dancing, gardening, and playing cards for the rest of her life, taking particular pride in her lovely flower gardens each year. Zion Lutheran Church was a big part of her life and she took delight in planning many games, potlucks, and social events through the years. At her passing, she was the oldest member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church.

She will be remembered for her zest for life, her raspberry pies, love of all things polka, and love of family and friends. Left to carry on her legacy and fun stories are her four children, Forrest (Judy), Carolyn (Chris) Wetzler, Marlene (Bob) Ginter of Milan, and Dean (Barb). She had 7 grandchildren, Erik (Christine) and Nicolas (Jill) Wetzler, Matthew (Debbie) Nieman, Ross (Sara) and Kurt Ginter, Joshua (Krista) Nieman, and Jessica Nieman Davis. She also had 11 Great-grandchildren, a sister Wilma Hall and sister-in-law Lela Silvester.

Survivors also include a brother-in-law William (Sally) Nieman and sister-in-law Evelyn Roberts. She is survived by a host of nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, sister Gladys Silwester and brother Paul Silwester.

Graveside services for immediate family only with a Celebration of Life to be held for her birthday next August. Donations and memorials can be made to Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ida MI